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E-Learning vs. E-Training

E-learning and e-training—what's the difference? While many people use the terms interchangeably, there are actually some important differences distinguishing “learning” and “training.” Let's take a closer look at what it means to “learn” and “train.” Understanding what makes each of these concepts unique is essential when it comes to educating employees, as both are required in order to develop an exceptional staff.

What Is E-Training?

Training focuses on helping employees develop the skills they need to perform specific tasks. This includes providing information regarding certain processes and day-to-day operations. E-training does this in an online environment. Speeches, demonstrations, videos, text documents, and other materials can all be useful instruction methods for e-training.

While most training occurs during a new hire’s first week on the job, many companies also embrace a “continuous training” philosophy. This means employees regularly have the chance to brush up on skills—and develop new skills—as well as re-learn certain job functions and keep up to date on changing company or industry procedures and standards. Essentially, training sessions provide the tools needed for employees to work and perform their primary tasks effectively. Learning, of course, is an important part of training; however, the principles of learning go beyond developing skills for specific situations and are an essential component of employee growth.

What Is E-Learning?

Learning, in a general sense, is the process of acquiring knowledge and applying that information in potentially unanticipated ways. While training teaches employees protocol for specific situations, learning enables staff members to overcome non-specific issues that suddenly arise on their own. In essence, training may ready employees for expected situations, while learning prepares workers for the unexpected (e-learning, obviously, does this in an online setting). A company culture that embraces learning, including the use of continuous training, creates an inspiring environment that can lead to invaluable returns and success.

What Is an E-Learning Training Program?

A successful learning atmosphere will apply both e-training and e-learning principles to help employees grow. Oftentimes, training and learning go hand-in-hand, as the quality of your training materials can affect how well staff members learn and absorb information—you can think of it as an e-learning training program. One way to bring e-training and e-learning together is to utilize an innovative learning management system (LMS). An LMS can enable employees to learn the skills needed for both specific and nonspecific situations and help you develop a team that’s productive, proactive, and prepared.

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